Silica brick



R. P. HEUER Aug. 14, 1934.

SILICA BRICK 'Sheets-Sheet YQUIT Filed Nov. 4, 1952 Aug.14,1934. R. P. HEUER I 1,969,750

SILIGA BRICK Filed Nov. 4. 1952 3 Sheet's-Sheet 2 Je@ CZ Z] .Jef ZZ C4a e4 Z5 c6 z8 /\1 .Y 29 JZ! C 7 z2/ C5 B 9 Eg 7 6 3.5' B4 35 lo-zo JRDUZOT mrz/C5565.. Hm

Aug.l 14, 1934. R P, HEUER 1,969,750

' SILICA BRICK Filed Nov. 4. 1952 5 sheets-sheet s Patented` Aug. 14, 1934 UNITED s'rairss SILICA BRICK Russell PearceV Heuer, Bryn Mawr, Pa., .assigner to General Befractories Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania.

Application November 4, 1932, Serial No. 641,309

In Great Britain November 8, 1931 4o claims. (cies-15s) My invention relates to improvements in silica brick and in the methods-of manufacturing" the same.

, This application is a continuation in part of my 5 application Serial No. 500,281, iiled December 5,

1930, for Refractory brick.

A purpose of my invention is to increase the permissible density and the strength and to improve the refractory properties of silica brick.

A further-purpose is to improve the heat treating of silica preliminary t'o forming it into brick.

A further purpose is preliminarily to convert silica present asquartz into hard dense coalesced cristobalite and/ or tridymite to obtain maximum particle growth, maximum particle strength and maximum permissible particle density and to form the pregrown coalesced silica into unburned brick.

A further purpose is to manufacture silica .20 brick from materials now little suited to this use,

and/or tridymite, and to grind the pregrown coalesced silica Ito suitable size and under proper grinding conditions to make silica brick of any A desired character.

A further purpose is to produce silica brick especially suited for use in furnace linings"with out previous firing.

A further purpose is to permit the advantageous application of high forming pressures to silica brick, whereas high pressures cannot be advantageously applied under present methods of manufacture.

A further purpose is to grade the sizes and control the proportions of various size bands oi pregrown coalesced'silica particles to obtain maximum permissible density and volumetric stability when the particles are formed into brick and to gain the full advantage of increased forming pressures applied tothe graded particles.

A further purpose is to mix pregrown cohalesced silica particles with ungrown or uncoale'sced silica particles for making brick.

A further purpose is to form silica brick from steel furnaces, in reverberatory copper smelting relatively coarse pregrown particles and-relative 1y ne ungrown or uncoalesced particles'.

Further purposes will appear in the specification and in the claims.

My invention relates both to the-brick theniselves and to the methods by which they are. produced.

In the `drawings I illustrate diagrammatically the principles of certain features of my invention.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic illustration useful in explaining my invention.

Figures 2 to 5 are ternary diagrams showing the densities of brick produced from graded particles, using varying percentages of different size bands. Y

In the drawings like numerals refer to like parts.

Background of the invention l Silica brick are very widely used in open hearth 75 and rening furnaces, in coke ovens and in many other types of furnaces. V

There are three well known crystallographic forms of silica. Quartz, which is stable at ordinary temperatures, has a specic gravity of 2.65 at 0 C. Tridymite has a specific gravity of 2.26 at 0 C. and is stable from 870 C. to 1470C. Cristobalite has a specific gravity of 2.32 at 0 C., and is stable from 1470 C. to 1710 C.

Thus it is seen that quartz is much denser than either cristobalite or tridymite, and that tridy; mite and `cristobalite have approximately the same densities.

When quartzchanges to cristobalite or tridymite it increases in volume approximately 14%.

Among refractory makers this increase due to the polymorphous transformation is known as growt There is, furthermore, a noncrystalline form of silica known as vitreous silica, which 9 5 has a specific gravity of '2.20" at 0 C.

Vitreous silica is ,formed from cristobalite above the melting point of cristobalite, 1710 C., from tridymite above 1670 C. andfromquartz above approximately 1400C.

InFigure 1 I illustrate a curve having temperatures centigrade as its absciss and vapor` pressures of the various forms of silica as its, ordinates. Figure 1 assists in obtaining a clearV understanding of the relation between quartz, tridymite, cristobalite and vitreous silica, but I do not intend to suggest that Figure 1 is accurately drawn to scale or that my invention is dependent in any way upon they correctness of Fig-y no lool ure 1 aside from the general principles which it illustrates.

The curve for quartz is af, that for tridymite is hg, that for cristobalite is id and` that for vitreous silica is y'd.

In general, the form of silica having the lowest vapor pressure at a given temperature is the stable form at that temperature. Therefore below 870 C. quartz is stable, as shown by the line ab, but, when the temperature rises above 870 C., the vapor pressure of quartz is greater than that of tridymite, and tridymite becomes the stable form. Tridymite is stable from 870 C. to 1470" C., as shown by the line bc", while above 1470 C. cristobalite is the stable form up to 1710 C., the melting point of cristobalite, as indicated by the line c If quartz be heatedin an ordinary refractory kiln, for example, until equilibrium is reached, it will change to tridymite at 870 C., then change to cristobalite at 1470 C., and finally vitrify or fuse at 1710" C.

Under the conditions of furnace use brick are subjected to abrasion, to compressive loads at high temperatures and to the actions of slags and l other corrosive materials.

To meet these conditions, silica brick are at present made from quartzite rock or ganister, such as the Pennsylvania quartzite known as Under the present conventional practice, ganister, is crushed, mixed with approximately 2% of lime and ground with water in'wet pans until it will pass through a 4 millimeter opening. The

ground material is formed into brick Yby hand or by machine, and the brick are dried and kiln fired upto 1500 C.

Rock quartzite or ganister is more expensive than other forms of silica material, but is the only silica mineral which will produce satisfactory brick under present conditions.

During firing, the quartzite, which composes the bulk of the unbumed ganister, undergoes ai polymorphous transformation to cristobalite and/or tridymite, accompanied by growth of about 14%. During forming of the brick the interfitting of the particles is established, but, due to growth, the particles readjust' during firing and many of the particle contacts are changed or destroyed. l

When growth occurs during firing there are two important results. The percentage of voids is greatly increased because the brick is vnot under pressure during firing, andldoes not merely expand 14% overall, but undergoes a 14% increase in volume in each individual particle, with accompanying loss in tightness of particle interfitting. After firing the percentage of void spaces in silica brick manufactured from ganister varies between 23% to 30%, depending upon several c factors, such as themethodof manufacture and the type of quartzite used.

Increase in the voids is Anot the only undesir- "1 able result of growth during' firing. Many particle contacts are destroyed, and the particle contacts which remain after growth are not as intimate as those produced during forming. The sintering action taking place near the end of ring is thus less effective because there are fewer and less intimate particle contacts to sinter. As a result, the brick after firing are lacking in strength and resistance to abrasion.

A superficial analysis of the problem would suggest that this condition could be remedied by increase in forming pressures, to improve the intertting of the particles prior to firing. I have experimented with ganister brick formedV under very high pressures, andv have observed that, contrary to expectation, brick formed under such pressures from ganister prepared in the ordinary manner are very little if any more dense after firing than brick formed under low pressures.

In other words, growth takes place just the same whether the brick are formed under high or low pressures, and destroys anyintimate intertting which is obtained under high pressures just as it destroys the intertting obtained under low pressures. Increase of forming pressure alone is not the solution of the problem.

Pregrowth I have discovered a method for making silica brick which are comparatively very dense and havehigh resistance to crushing pressures, abrasion and slag penetrationrat high temperatures.

To accomplish this, I form the brick initially from dense silica particles of volumetric stability, so that no growth takes place after the brick are formed.' n

My invention contemplates effecting the polymorphous transformation of quartz into cristobalite and/or tridymite and coalescing the particles prior to forming them into brick.

I will first consider eiiecting the polymorphous transformation, and will later discuss coalescing.

Since, prior to forming, the particles have not been interiitted, growth at this preliminary stage can do no harm to the brick.d Of course, the particles may be briquetted forpregrowing, and subsequently broken up.' although I do not recommend this, but they should not be formed into the finished brick until after they have been pregrown and coalesced.

Growth prior to forming the brick is referred to by me as pregrowth throughout the specification and claims.

-To pregrow the silica I heatit above the lower coalesced as later explained, the resulting brick is very dense, whether it be used untired or fired after forming. n

I regard brick as uniired when it has not been fired, whether the intention is to fire it or to use it in a furnace without previous firing. When a brick formed of pregrown coalesced silicak is fired, its particles of course change in volume slightly due to expansion during heating, but no substantial permanent volume change occurs, When I refer to brick of volume stability I mean brick which exhibit no substantial permanent volume change upon heating, for example, to 1550" C. I recognize -that a brick at 1550 C. has aconsiderably larger volume than at C. but I do not regard this as a permanent volume change since such a brick would return approximately to its'original volume at 0 C. when cooled to this temperature. If a brick formell of only partially pregrown silica be red to -a sufciently high temperature, growth will be com-y pleted in iiring, but even then the undesirable eifects of growth will be much less pronounced ticles, particularly if the ungrown particles be nely divided compared to the degree of divi- -sion of the pregrown coalesced particles.

'I'he use of ungrown silica along with pregrown coalesced silica in the same brick, while it produces better brick than those now` made, produces brick so much less desirable than those made from entirely pregrown coalesced silica that I do not'reccmmend it except as a means of reducing the cost of manufacture by avoiding pregrowing of part of the silica.

Where brick are to be made from partially grown silica, I prefer to employ more than 50% relatively fine particles of ungrown silica mixed with relatively Vcoarse particles of. pregrown coalesced silica. Then, when the iine particles grow during firing or during furnace use, the interiitting is not completely disrupted. For best results the ungrown particles should pass through a screen having 50 mesh per linear inch (388.1 mesh per square centimeter) vor smaller. A given percentage of ungrown silica does less l,harm when' it 'is present as ne particlesY than when it is present as coarse particles.

I may also mix the pregrown coalesced silica with pregrown uncoalesced silica, preferably making the uncoalesced particles relatively ilne in size. I do not recommend this either, except for cheapness.

Coalescence l'iregrowing` serves to prevent increase in volume during firing or duringheating in use, by bringing about the polymorphous transformation,

and for this reason it increasesthe ultimate density of the brick, though cristobalite and'A i whether formed by vitriflcation and subsequent 'tridymite are lower 'in'` speciiic gravity than quartzd However, it does not secure strength and comparatively low porosity of the particles themselves. This I obtain by coalescing the particles desirably during pregrowing, althoughpermissibly in a separate step. Coalescence is necessary in lmy invention just as .pregrowing is necessary, for pregrown silica which has not been coalesced is weak and porous. -Ordinary ganister, while it occurs in massive form, really consists of small grains of silica which are cemented together by siliceous cement. When such ganister is heated to transform the quartz into cristobalite and/or tridymite, without coalescence, a shattering of the siliceous cement takes place and the resultant calcine is weak and porous.

Since I desire a particularly hard and dense pregrown silica,- and for other reasons as later explained, I heat the silica lto coalesce the grains.

Coalescence is an-eflect of heat on an individual silica particle, by which it is made stronger, harder and denser, as later explained. Coalescence may occur inone of two ways, by vitrication and subsequent crystallization, or by heating above 1400 C. without vitrifying.

I will iirst consider coalescing by vitriiicationv and subsequent crystallization. At high temperatures silica becomes substantially liquid, producing the vitreous form. The formation of the liquid phase eliminates much of the porosity of the silica particles.

When vitreous silica is carried below its solidication point it has the appearance of glass, and remains amorphous after rapid cooling even down to room temperatures. I will, however, maintain the vitreous silica ata temperature slightly below its solidiiication point for several hours.

During this step, cristobalite and/or tridymite crystallize out, thus completing growth.

Crystallization of vitreous silica could also be accomplished, although less desirably, by cooling the silica quickly after vitriflcation and then reheating to crystallize .the s ilica.

The operation of vitrication and coalescence causes the individual grains of silica which compose the ganister mass, or which compose silica sand where that materialis treated, to unite no by the formation of liquidY silica. The result-y ant product is strong and dense and does not depend on any initial siliceous'cementing material for its properties.

Vitriiication may be produced by heatingv the silica to 17l0 C. (d in Figure 1) Though coalescence most usually takes place because of Vitriilcation, there is a stage of heating above 1400 C. and below 17l0 C. at which coalescence takes place by reason of the temperature eilect upon the siliceous bonding material before the silica itself has been vitriiied. Findlings quartzite, for examplefbecause of the basalt cement itfcontains, maybe coalesced at a temperature above 1400 C., without heating 125 to vitriiication.

Coalescence without vitrication requires heat- -ingto a temperature above 1400 C. and holding at a'tempe'rature above 1400" C. for a peri ceptible time. Mere heating above 1400C. foi` a 130 short time is not sufficient. The time of holdlng ,above 1400 C. varies with different materails, and I therefore find it necessary to designate the time of heating by the character of the coalesced product.

The coalesced particles of my invention,

crystallization,l or by coalescence'without vitriilcation, have a specific gravity at 0 C., of less Furthermore, during coalescence, either,V by 150 the furnace lining, shattering I vitrifcation and subsequent crystallization or without vitrification, the total porosity of the individual particles at room temperature is reduced to less than 18%,'and preferably to below 14% (below 12% in the best practice). Where the particle does not have a total porosity of below 18%, I find that the particle definitely lacks hardness, crushing strength and density, as compared to the density of a coalesced particle. The improvement in the product by reducing the total porosity to below 14% is very remarkable.

It will be evident that the specific gravity limit of 2.38 or less is in eect av criterion ofV the completeness of the pregrowing (polymorphous transformation to cristobalite and/or tridymite) while the porosity limit of 18% (preferably less than 14%) is a measure of the strength, hardness and particularly of the density of the pregrown particle.

'I'he temperature for coalescence must always be in excess of 1400'c C. However, I find that it is .much quicker and more satisfactory if a temperature of 1500" C. is used, while a temperature of 1650 C. is still preferable.

Pregrown coalesced silica is essentially crystalline, since it must contain ycristobalite and/or tridymite. If the silica be vitriiied and also pregrown and coalesced, it Will be understood that it has been crystallized. after vitriiication, but that it is characterized by the dense grain due to vitrication. Vitrication followed by crystallization produces a close-grained structure Which is hard, dense and strong, and otherwise very desirable.

In the prior art, quartz is ground and then formed into brick. By my invention I may pregrow and coalesce the quartz as an initial step without prior grinding, then grind the vitreous or clinkered mass and subsequently form. In this instance, as in the prior art, only one grinding is necessary.

However, there is an important difference between the character of the ground product from my method as compared with that of the prior art, aside from the question of growth. The silica is aggregated into large pieces by pregrowing and coalescing, so that the ultimate particle Size is within the control of the brick maker, who can vary the ,character and extent of grinding as he may wish. This is particularly true of vitried crystallized material, in which neighboring particles unite. In the prior art, however, the brick maker must start with silica in the natural condition, and is limited to using the particles in the size in which they come to him, making them smaller, or discarding them. I may, on the other hand, increase the particle size. ularly applicable to silica sand.

There is a further very advantageous aspect of my invention. As previously noted, the prior general practice has been to 'make silica brick from quartzite rock or ganister, in spite of Vthe fact that many cheaper and purer silica minerals are available. The reason for restricting the raw material to rock quartzite is that after grinding the rock quartzite particles are irregular and intert tightly when formed into brick.

Ordinary quartz sand or glass sand consists of eroded particles which are smooth rather than irregular, and do not intert. Also, quartz sand contains too many ne particles to make a good brick, as explained more in detail later. A

However, if quartz sand be vitried, it melts Atogether into an igneous mass. destroying the infractories.

This feature of my invention is partic-.

dividuality of the particles, so that the sizes and shapes of the raw silica particles are not prey the basis of the material used in forming the,

brick, rock quartzite contains about 97.5% of silica, while silica sand has a silica content of from 98.5% to 99.5%. A decrease of 1% to 2% `in the content of impurity in the silica brick is very important in improving the resistance of the furnace lining to slags. A

It will be evident that my invenion is applicable to any mineral containing silica as quartz without regard to its geological origin or physical condition. If it be of proper particle size and shape I may simply cause it to undergo a polymorphous transformation, and coalesce it, while if it be of improper particle size or shape or unsuitable for any other reason, I may vitrify and recrystallize it and then grind it to the condition which I desire.

Mere preheating of quartz, even above 1400 C. will not practice my invention, unless the conditions are regulated as to time of heating as a1- ready explained.

It is important to distinguish the pregrowing. step of my invention, which causes a polymorphous transformation in the silica, from preliminary calcining steps which are applied to other minerals before forming them into brick. The crystallographic behavior of silica is so distinctive that no analogies can be drawn between the production of a polymorphous transformation in silica and the production of other crystallographic changes, as, for example, crystal growth or solid solution, which take place in other reimum temperature below 1400 C. is not of value' in coalescing the silica, nor is it satisfactory for pregrowing, although pregrowing starts at 870 C.

Forming pressure As previously explained, the application of high forming pressure to ungrown quartz is of little or no advantage because the growth of the quartz during firing or during heating in use damages or destroys the intertting of the pai'- icles, whether the forming pressure was high or Where, however, the material operated upon is pregrown coalesced silica, there is no destruction of the particle intertting by subsequent growth during firing or heating in use. Under these conditions, high forming pressures and special forming cycles are highly advantageous.

'Ihus it is seen that there is a real combination between the type of forming pressure and forming cycle employed and the .character of silica which is operated upon, since, if the silica be ungrown, high forming pressures and special pressure cycles are of no advantage, while, if it be pregrown and coalesced, they are highly desirable. j

I nd that forming pressures of 2000 pounds per square inch (140.6 kilograms. 4Vper square centimeter) and preferal ly greater pressures, up to as much as 10,000 poundsper square inch (703.1 kilograms per square centimeter) or more, are highly advantageous when applied to pregrown coalesced silica particles, since they cause tight interiltting of the'particles and this tight interiltting is maintained throughout the subsequent ring or heating.

The brick batch is preferably.moistenedA before forming.

Aside from the degree of pressure, the cycle of pressure application is important.- .While it is entirely permissible to build up rapidly to substantial maximum pressure, I ind it very desirable to maintain the substantial maximum pressure for an appreciable time before decreasing the pressure.

'I'his produces a sustained period or dwell at maximum pressure which permits elimination of entraped air from the interstices between the particles, the establishment of equilibrium in the intertting of the particles, and the elimination of fissures. The dwell need not be maintained until complete equilibrium is established inthe brick under pressur e.\ It is sullcient that some approach to equilibrium be reached. i

I do not intend vto claim. in this application the pressure cycle described except as applied to pregrown coalesced silica particles.

The use of a dwell is highly advantageous in combination with operation upon pregrown coalesced silica' because the dwell makes possible close interiltting of the particles and pregrowth prevents the destruction of the. intertting during ring or during heating in use.

I thus secure stabilization of the interiltted.

Grading of particles In forming brick fromv pregrown coalesced silica, great advantage may be gained by grading the sizes of the particles which are to go into the brick and combining the graded sizes in proportions determined by studies made by me, notwithstanding that pregrown coalesced silica is desirable whether or not the sizes are graded.

While the grading of sizes and the combining of size bands is advantageous even when applied to ungrown ganister, part of the advantage is lost in that case by growth of the particles during tiring or during heating in use. Where, however, grading of sizes and combining of size bands are applied to partially or wholly pregrown coalesced silica particles, thev full advantage of grading and combining is made available for the ilrst time in silica brick, because none of the interiltting due' to grading and combining is damagedv by growth, and because the particles themselves are comparatively very dense, strong and hard.

In thedrawings I illustrate ternary diagrams showing the eects of various graded size bands upon the density of silica brick.

Considering the generic diagram shown in Figure 2various mixes of three diiIerent-consecu- Y' tive size zones or bands .of graded particles of a screen b. In the diagram silica are shown, mixed together in diilerent proportions. I have discovered that the density of the mix is dependent upon the relative quantities of the different graded sizes of particles of whichthe mix is made. The curves are contour curves, as it were, showing loci of equal density of brick plotted upon the ternary diagram and indicating the eect of various relative quantities of the different zones or bands of graded sizes of silica particles.

I` have found that the most perfect interiittin'g possible is dependent upon the substantial suppression of an intermediate sizeof particles.

The three components A, B and C, as indicated in Figure 2, consist respectively of consecutive size bands used in my tests. While in each test I have used particular size bands, my invennen is independent er the size bends wiiiehV l rest upon a screen of mesh size a. The component B is made up of particles which are small enough to pass through a screen a and are large enough to rest upon a screenb. 'I'he component C comprises those sizes which will pass through the proportion of the component A is indicated by the perpendicu? lar distance of any point in question from the line BC, and, for convenience, the lines A', A, A3, A4, A5, A', A". A, and A have been drawn parallel with the line BC to indicate percentages of component A from 10% to 90%.

correspondingly the percentages of the com# ponent B are represented by the perpendicular distances from the line AC, and, for convenience in indicating these percentages, lines B' to B' have been drawn parallel to the line AC to show gggientages of the component B from 10% to 0. In the same way the quantity of theY component C is indicated by the perpendicular distance from the line AB.and the lines C' to C have been drawn parallel to the line AB to indicate percentagesy of the component C from 10% to 90%.

- At any point within the diagram the sum of l the components A, B and C equal 100%..

According to the above explanation and asga result of tests, isodensity curves 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, and 26 have been drawn, each `as the loci of mixtures of the diiferent components A, B and C, which respectively have the same density.. The curves are numbered beginning with that of lowest density and proceeding to that of highest density.

It will also appear that for curves of lower densities such as 20, the variety of ditl'erent mixtures is much greater than for curves of higher densities. such as 25 and 26. Brick mixes of proportions indicated by location in the area between the curve 26 and the line AC are of very high density.

In order that theapplication of the subsequent curves may be clear, I will. first lgive applications upon the generic curve shown in Figure 2. For example. a refractory mix designated by location at the point 27 on curve 20 will have 10% l three other diagrams which are specic to ganister and show the density of mix secured from various size bands of ganister, illustrating the similarity of the specic curves to the general curve.

In Figure 3 the larger or A particles of ganister are such as pass through a screen having 10 mesh per linear inch (15.2 mesh per square centimeter) and rest upon a screen having 20 mesh per linear inch (62.4 mesh per square centimeter). The intermediate or B band oi.' particles comprises those which pass through a screen having 20 mesh per linear inch (62.4 mesh per square centimeter) and rest upon a screen having 60 mesh per linear inch (557.0 mesh per square centimeter). 'Ihe C particles are those which pass through a screen having 60 mesh per linear inch (557.0 mesh per square centimeter) The isodensity curves 29 to 39 inclusive respectively show equal density ganister mixes of progressively greater density. It will be noted that as the percentage of B particles decreases the density of the mixture increases.

Figure 4 shows a ternary diagram for ganister in which the A particles pass through a screen having 10 mesh per linear inch (15.2 mesh per square centimeter) and rest upon a screen having 30 mesh per linear inch (138.5 mesh per square centimeter). The B particles pass through a screen having 30 mesh per linear inch (138.5 mesh per square centimeter) and rest upon a screen having 60 mesh per linear inch (557.0 mesh per square centimeter), while the C particles pass through a screen having 60 mesh per linear inch (557.0 mesh per square centimeter).

Curves 40 to 49 inclusive are isodensity curves indicating progressively increasing densities as the B particles are reduced toward the zero line of B particles.

Figure 5 is a ternary diagram in which the A particles of ganister pass through a screen having 10 mesh per linear inch (15.2 mesh per square centimeter) and rest upon a screen having 20 mesh per linear inch (62.4 meshv per square centimeter). The B particles pass through a screen having 20 mesh per linear inch (62.4 mesh per square centimeter) and rest upon a screen having mesh per linear inch (992.2 mesh per square centimeter), while the C particles pass through a screen having 80 mesh per linear inch (992.2 mesh per square centimeter).

Curves 50 to 52 inclusive are isodensity curves of progressively increasing densities as the percentage of B particles is reduced.

Inspection of the diagrams of Figures 3, 4 and 5 indicates that the limits of the size bands are of relatively little importance within certain ranges, since in any case the mix of maximum density has substantially the same percentages of A and C particles.

The A particles should preferably range between 10 and 20 mesh per linear inch (15.2 and 62.4 mesh per square centimeter). although a range between 3 and 30 mesh per linear inch (1.4 and 138.5 mesh per square centimeter) is not undesirable. The ne particles should pass through a screen having 60 or 80 mesh per linear inch (557.0 or 992.2 mesh per square centimeter) or finer to get the best results. Fine grinding is expensive, however, and I nd that the size of the ne screen may be 50 mesh per linear inch (338.1 mesh per square centimeter) without seriously affecting the quality oi' the brick.

It is evident that the densest brick is formed from a mix having proportions indicated by lccation in the area between a curve of high density and the zero line for B particles. The mixwhich I preferably use consists of approximately 55% of A particles and approximately 45% of C particles without substantial quantities of B particles. It will be understood that advantage may be obtained from my invention without necessarily eliminating the B particles, providing they be maintained unnaturally low.

However, a satisfactory brick can be made if the proportion of coarser particles is between 30% and 70% (I prefer to use between 40% and 60%) land. vthe proportion of ner particles plus the binder, if any be used, is between 70% and 30% (I prefer to use between 60% and 40%) It will be understood that advantage may be obtained from my invention without necessarily eliminating the B particles, providing they be maintained unnaturally low, say below about 20%.

In this application I do not intend to claim broadly the use of particles graded according to the principles shown upon the ternary diagrams, but I wish to claim the features of grading which especially cooperate with pregrowing and coalescing of silica particles. Where a graded mix is made of ungrown silica, the density of the product,` while higher than that made from other ungrown silica mixes, is not as high as )that of brick produced by grading pregrown coalesced particles. The ungrown particles during growth destroy the intertting in spite of the fact that the particle size bandsy have been comvbined to obtain maximum density. 'Ifhe effectiveness of the size grading and combining is to a certain extent defeated by use of ungrown particles.

Where, however, the graded particles have been pregrown and coalesced, size grading and combining are fully eiective to obtain maximum density without any destruction of interfitting due to particle growth. Size grading of, silica particles is of especial and unusual advantage where the particles have been pregrown and coalesced.

I much prefer high pressures for the pressing operation, since they more thoroughly intert the particlesthan is possible with lower pressures.

It will be evident that the four factors, pregrowth and coalescence, high pressure, dwell in pressure yand particle grading and combining cooperate to produce a quality of brick which could not be attained without all together and which could not be approached without the cooperation of several factors. This is true notwithstanding that any one of these means produces brick whose quality is much superior to that of the prior art.

By employing pregrown coalesced silica as a starting material for my brick, grading and cornbining' the sizes, and using `high pressure, I am able to get a product which, after tiring or heating in use,- often has less than 18% of total porosity, and certainly less than 25% of total porosity,'on the basis of the volume of the nished brick. I regard a brick having less than 20% ci total porosity as good practice. I can obtain a brick having a volume weight of more than y1.80 grams per cubic centimeter at 0 C. by following the preferred-practice as outlined by me, and certainly more than 1.65 grams per cubic centimeter at y0" C. by following the permissible practice. This novel product is much more resistant to slag penetration than silica brick at present in use.

The unred brick made by my preferable practice has a true specic gravity of less lthan 2.38 and a total porosity of less than and often less than 18%..

Firing My invention makes possible the use of brick which have not been fired at all previous to use in a furnace, but which rely on heat conducted to the furnace lining from the fuel or charge to accomplish the sintering of the particles.

I have discovered that suitably bonded brick formed from pregrown coalesced silica have sufficient mechanical strength prior to ring'to resist shock during transportation and to sustain compressive loads encountered .in the furnace 15 wall until the brick become properly sintered.

2u dried preparatory to firing) and placed in a furnace lining. The heat of the furnace does the rest.

Since the silica is partly or entirely pregrown,

there is little or no change in the particle structure during sintering. High forming pressure, pressure d well vand suitable grading of particles assist in producing a dense and firm brick which ,will resist shock and stress prior to sintering.

With the use of high forming pressures and graded particle size upon pregrown coalesced silica I can obtain a well bonded brick by using as little as 2% of sodium silicate as a bonding material. In any case, I will preferably use less than 5% of sodium silicate. I then dry the brick to remove the excess of water and to develop the bond;

Unired brick thus bonded, put into a furnace lining subjected to high temperatures, give satisfactory results by comparison with ordinary brick 0 bonded with ume and med. This is due to the advantage of pregrown coalesced silica and the low percentage of sodium silicate required.

Unred' brick prepared from silica sand after coalescence and used directly in furnace linings i5 without firing are particularly desirable because As a result, ringdoes not have the undesirable effect upon` the brick which it has had in the prior art.

Prior to forming the brick, I will preferably add about.2% of lime as a bonding material. Instead of lime, I may add small quantities of magnesia,

iron oxide, or clay as bonding materials, or even w dispense with bonding materials under some conditions. A Thus the brick, even though it be unflred when placed in the furnace lining, is heated to firing temperature in the furnace, and I intend by this expression to include both heating during ring in a kiln and heating during use in-a furnace lining. I prefer unred to fired brick, largely because the unfired brick are equally satisfactory and much cheaper..

75. r refer w quartz as "unmoulded" when it 1s not formed into the nnal brick, notwithstanding that it may be shaped, as. by briquetting.

lnreferring to brick, I mean to include any formed refractory shape, whether it be rectangular or of some other shape.

In view of the fact that quartz is the form of silica having the highest specific gravity, and my brick, being of cristobalite and/or tridymite is of course of lower specific gravity, but is of relatively low porosity compared to cristobalite and/or tridymite which lhave not been coalesced, I speak of my brick as having high permissible high specic gravity, since the density due to quartz is impossible in a material which must be subjected to high temperatures.

I believe that I am the first to employ pregrown coalesced silica as a major constituent in brick and the rst to use pregrown coalesced silica to give volumetric stability and strength to silica brick.

All percentages mentioned herein are percentages by weight, unless otherwise specified. Porosity percentages are of course percentages by volume. Unless otherwise stated, all specific gravities, volume weightsY and pvorosities are at 0 C.

In view` of my invention and disclosure variations and modifications to meet individual whim or particular need will doubtless become evident to others skilled in the art, to obtainpart or all of the benefits of my invention without copying the structure shown, andA I, therefore, claim all such in so far as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent isz- A 1. The method of producing silica brick of volume stability and low porosity from asilica mineral containing quartz,l which consists in prelimf inarily subjecting the mineral to a temperature above 1400 C. until the specic gravity of individual crystalline particles is less than 2.38 and the porosity of individual crystalline particles is less than 18%, whereby the silica is pregrown and coalesced, and in subsequently interfltting into brick a mass of particles including as a predomnant constituent pregrown coalesced silica par- 1c es.

2. The method of producing silica brick of volume stability and low porosity from a silica min` eral,- which consists in preliminarily stabilizing the volume of the mineral and reducing it to a hard dense crystalline calcine of l specific gravity less than 2.38 and of porosity less than 14%, and in subsequently forming it into brick.

'3. The method of producing silica brick of volumetric stability and great strength, which cony sists in preliminarily subjecting unmoulded quartz to a temperature above 1400 C. until the specific gravity of individual crystalline particles is less than 2.38 and the porosity of individual crystalline particles is less than 18%, whereby the silica is pregrown and coalesced, in interfitting into brick a mass of particles including as a predominant constituent pregrown coalesced silica particles, in placing the brick in a furnace structure in unnred condition and in subjecting the ybrick to firing temperature in position' in the furnace structure. Y

4. The method of producing silica brick, which consists in preliminarilysubjecting quartz to a temperature above 1400 C. until the specic gravity of individual crystalline particles is less than 2.38` and the porosity or individual crystaume gravity of individual crystalline particles is less` than 2.38 and the porosity of individual crystalline particles is less than 14%, whereby the silica is pregrown and coalesced, in grinding the pregrown coalesced silica, in mixing it with water,

in interitting into brick a mass of particles including as a predominant constituent pregrown coalesced particles, in drying the brick and in firing it. f

6. The method of making, from a silica mineral containing quartz and a binder, silica brick of volumetric stability and great strength, which consists in preliminarily subjecting quartz to a temperature above 1400 C. until the specic gravity of individual crystalline particles is less than 2.38 and the porosity of individual crystalline particles is less than 14%, whereby the silica is pregrown and coalesced, in grinding the pregrown coalesced silica, in mixing it with a binder, in intertting into brick a mass of particles including as a predominant constituent pregrown coalesced particles and in subjecting the brick to firing temperature.

'7. The method of making silica` brick from a' silica mineral containing quartz, which consists in preliminarily subjecting the mineral to a temperature above 1400 C. until the specific gravity of individual crystalline particles is less than 2.38 and the porosity of individual crystalline particles is less than 14%, whereby the silica is pregrown and coalesced, in mixing the pregrown coalesced silica-with raw quartz and in forming brick from the mixture.

l 8. The method of making silica brick from a silica mineral containing quartz, which consists in preliminarily subjecting the mineral to a temperature above 14009 C. until the specific gravity of individual crystalline particles is less than 2.38 and the porosity of individual crystalline particles is less than 14%, whereby the silica is pregrown and coalesced, in grinding the pregrown coalesced silica, in grinding ungrown silica, in mixing a quantity of ground pregrown vcoalesced silica with a smaller quantity by weight of ground ungrown silica and in forming the mixture into brick.

9. 'I'he method of making silica'brick from a silica mineral containing quartz: which consists in preliminarily subjecting the mineral to a temperature above 1400 C. until the specific gravity of individual crystalline particles is less than 2.38 andthe porosity of individual crystalline particles is less than 14%, whereby the silica is pregrown and coalesced, in grinding the pregrown coalesced silica, in mixing the pregrown coalesced silica withv less than 25% by weight or ground uncoalesced silica and-in forming the mixture into brick. l g 10. The method of making silica brick from a silica mineral containing quartz, which consists in prelimnarily subjecting the mineral to a temperature above 1400 C. until the speciilc gravity of individual crystalline particles is less than 2.38 and the porosity of individual crystalline particles is less than 18%, whereby the silica is pregrown and coalesced, in grinding the pregrown coalesced silica, 'in mixing relatively coarse 'pregrown coalesced silica particles with relatively ne raw quartz particles and in forming the mixture intobrick.

11. The method of preparing, from a silica mineral containing quartz, silica brick of high permissible density which have abnormally low expansion due to quartz transformation during heating to firing temperature, which consists in subjecting the mineral to a temperature above 1400 C. until the specific gravity of individual crystalline particles isless than 2.38 and the porosity of individual crystalline particlesis less than 18%, whereby the -silica is pregrown and coalesced, in grinding the pregrown coalesced silica to produce larger particles between 3 and 30 mesh per linear inch, in grinding raw silica to produce' smaller particles below 50 mesh per linear inch, in mixing the larger and smaller particles in the proportion of between 30% and 70% by weight of each, and in forming the mixture into brick.

l2. The method of making silica brick of volume stability and low porosity from silica mineral containing quartz, which consists in subjecting the mineral to a temperatureI above 1400 C. until the specific gravity of individual crystalline particles is less than 2.38 and the porosity of individual crystalline particles is less than 18%, whereby the silica is pregrown and coalesced, and in forming a mass of particles including pregrown coalesced particles into brick under pressure exceeding 2000 pounds per square inch.

13. The method of making silica brick of volume stability and low porosity from silica mineral containing quartz, which consists in subjecting the mineral to a temperature above 1400- C. until the speciiic gravity of individual crystalline particles is less than 2.38 and the porosityI of individual crystalline particles is less than 18%, whereby the silica is pregrown and coalesced, in grinding the pregrown coalesced silica, in forming the particles into brick under pressure exceeding 2000 pounds per square inch, in inserting the brick in a furnace structure in unred condition and in subjecting the brick fto tiring temperature in place in the ture.

14. The method of making silica brick oi' volume stability and low porosity from silica mineral containing quartz, which consists in subjecting the mineral to a temperature above 1400 C. until the 4speciiic gravity of individual crystalline particles is less than 2.38 and the porosity of individual crystallinel particles is less than 18%, whereby the silica is pregrown and coalesced. in grinding the pregrown coalesced silica, in forming the particles into brick under pressure exceeding 2000 pounds per square inch maintained for a substantial time near maximum pressure, ininserting the brick in a furnace structure in unflred condition and in subjecting the brick to firing temperature in place in the iurnace structure.

15. The method of producing silica brick of volume stability and low porosity from a silica mineral containing quartz, which consists in preliminarily subjecting the mlneral'to a temperature above l400 C. until the speciilc gravity of individual crystalline particles is less than 2.38 and the porosity of individual crystalline particles is less than 18%, whereby the silica is pregrown and coalesced, in mixing together larger particles between 3 and 30 mesh per. linear inch and smaller particles 4less than 50 mesh per furnace struc,-

linear inch in the proportion of between 30% and '70% by weight of each, substantially omitting intermediate sized particles, and in forming the mix into brick.

16.` The method of producing silica brick of volume stability and low porosity from a silica mineral containing quartz, which consists in preliminarily subjecting the mineral to a temperature above 1400 C. until the specific gravity of individual crystalline particles is less than 2.38 and the porosity of individual crystalline particles is less than 18%, whereby the silica is pregrown and coalesced, in grinding the pregrown coalesced silica, in grading the ground silica into relatively coarse, intermediate and fine particles,

in mixing the coarse and fine particles in the proportions of between 40% and 60% by weight of. each, maintaining the percentage of intermediate particles abnormally low as compared with that secured by grinding the silica, in forming the mix into brick, in inserting the brick in a furnace structure in unred condition and subjecting the brick to firing temperature in place in the furnace structure. f 17. The method of making silica brick fro initially unfired .condition in a furnace structure, which yconsists in preliminarily subjecting the mineral to a temperature above 1400 C. until the specific gravity of individual crystalline particles is less than 2.38 and the porosity of individual crystalline particles is less than 18%,

whereby the silica is pregrown and coalesced, in grinding the pregrown coalesced silica, in sep.- arating, from the ground pregrown coalesced silica, larger particles between 3 and 30 mesh per linear inch, in mixing the larger particles with smaller particles capable of passing 50 mesh 1 per linear inch in the proportions of 55% of larger particles and of smaller particles by Weight, in forming the Amix into brick, in placing line particles is less than 18%, whereby the silica is pregrown and coalesced, in mixing the pregrown coalesced silica with a binder and in forming it into brick. p

' 19. The method of making silica brickfrom a silica mineral containing quartz for use in initially unred condition in a furnace structure, which consists in preliminarily subjecting the mineral to a temperature above 1400 C. until the specific gravity of the individual crystalline particles is less than 2.38 and the porosity of the individual crystalline particles i s less than 14%, whereby the silica. is pregrown and coalesced, in'mixing the pregrown coalesced silica' with a binder eifective below ring temperature, in forming into brick a massof silica particles including the pregrown coalesced silica mixed with the binder, in placing the brick in a furnace structure in unred condition and in subjecting the brick to ring temperature in place in the furnace structure.

20. The method of making silica brick from a silica mineral containing quartz, which consists in preliminarily subjecting 'the mineral to .a temperature above 1400 C. untiLthe specific gravity of the individual crystalline particles is less than 2.38 and the porosity of the individual crystalline particles is less than 18%, wherebyl the silica is pregrown and coalesced, in mixing the pregrown coalesced silica with sodium silicate, in forming into brick a mass of silica particles including the pregrown coalesced particles mixed with sodium silicate, in placing the brick in a furnace structure in uni'ed condition and in subjecting the brick to firing temperature in place :by weight of pregrown coalesced silica particles between 3 and 30meshper linear inch with between 60% and 40% by Weight of silica particles i capable of passing mesh per linear inch, efa silica mineral contairnng quartz'for use 1n` fecting the mixing in moist condition, in incorporating with the mix a binder effective below ring temperature, in forming the mix into brick and i drying the brick.

22. The method of making, from a silica mineral containing quartz, silica brick capable of use ina furnace in unred condition, which consists in preliminarily subjecting the mineral to a temperature above 1400 C. until the specific gravity of individual crystalline particles is less than 2.38

and theporosity of individual crystalline particles is less than 18%, whereby the silica is pregrown and coalesced, in grinding the pregrown coalesced silica, in mixing between 40% and 60% by weight of pregrown coalesced silica particles between 3" and 30 mesh per linear inch with between and 40% by weight of silica particles capable of passing 50 mesh per linear inch, eiecting the mixing in moist condition, in incorporating with the mix less than 2% by weight of sodium silicate, .in forming the mix into brick and in drying the brick.

23. The method of making, from a silica mineral containing quartz, silica? brick capable of use in a furnace in unred condition, which consists j in preliminarily subjecting the mineral to a temperature above 1400 C. until the specic A gravity of individual crystalline particles is less than 2.38 and the porosity of individual crystalline particles is less than 18%, whereby the silica is pregrown and coalesced, in grinding the pregrowncoalesced silica, in mixing between 40%l and 60% by weight of pregrown coalesced silica particles between 3 and -30 mesh per linear inch with between60%`and 40% by weight of silica particles capable of passing 50 `mesh per linear inch, eecting the mixing in moist condition, in incorporating sodium silcate with the mix, in forming the mix into brick under vpressure exceeding 2000 pounds per square inch andin drying the brick. f

24. The method of making'silica brickof vol 4urne stability andelow porosity for use 'ini initiallaly unired 'condition -in a furnace structure,

which consists in heat treating silica in ythe crystalline form of quartz until it is transformed into a crystalline phase of silica having a specic gravity less than 2.38, subjecting the silica to a temperature above 1400 C. during the heat treatment, in making up a mix of silica particles including said heat-treated silica as its predominant constituent, there being in the mix` between 40% and 60% each of larger particles between 3 and 30 mesh per linear inch and smaller particles below 50 mesh per linear inch, in forming the mix into brick, in placing the brick in a furnace structure in unred condition and in subjecting the brick to firing temperature in place in the furnace structure.

25. The method of making silica brick of volume stability and low porosity for use in initially unred condition in a furnace structure, which consists in heat treating silica in the crystalline form of quartz until it is transformed into a crystalline phase of silica having a specic gravity less than 2.38 and a porosity less than 18%, in making up a mix of silica particles including said heat-treated silica as a predominant constituent, there being in the mix between 40% and 60% each of larger particles between 3 and 30 mesh per linear inch and smaller particles below 50 mesh per linear inch, in introducing sodium silicate into the mix for bonding purposes, in forming the mix into brick, in placing the brick in` a furnace structure in unfired condition and in subjecting the brick to iiring temperature in place of the furnace structure.

26. A starting material for silica brick consisting of crystalline silica particles having a specific gravity of less than 2.38 and having a porosity of less than 14%` 27. As an article of manufacture, granular crystalline silica having a specific gravity of less than 2.38 and having a porosity of less than 18%.

28. A formedsilica brick in unred condition in which the preponderant part of the silica consists of crystalline particles having a specific gravity of less than 2.38 and having a porosity of the crystalline particles of less than 12%.

29. A silica brick in uni'ired condition containing crystalline silica, the brick having a true specie gravity of less than 2.38 and a volume weight of more Athan 1.65 grams per cubic centimeter.

30. A silica brick in unred condition containing crystalline silica, the brick having a true specific gravity of less than 2.38 and a volume weight of more than 1.80 grams per cubic centimeter.

3l. An unred silica brick containing crystalline silica, the brick having a true specific gravity of less than 2.38 and a total porosity (including the porosity of the particles themselves) of less than 25%. D

32. An unflred silica brick comprising relatively coarse crystalline particles of specific gravity less than 2.38 and porosity less than 18% and relatively ne particles of quartz.

33. An-unflred silica brick comprising relatively coarse crystalline particles of specific gravity less than 2.38 and porosity less than 18% and quartz particles capable of passing through a screen having 50 mesh per linear inch.

34. A highly compressed unred silica brick of volumetric stability comprising clarger crystalline particles and smaller crystalline particles densely packed together and substantially free. from intermediate sized particles.

35. An unred silica brick comprising a heattreated crystalline silica of specic gravity less than 2.38 as its predominant constituent, the brick containing between 40% and 60% each of larger particles of crystalline silica between 3 and 30 mesh per linear inch and smaller particles of crystalline silica below 50 mesh per linear inch and unnaturally deficient in intermediate sizes.

36. An uniired silica brick containing pregrown coalesced particles of speciiic gravity less than 2.38 and of porosity less than 18%, larger than 30 mesh per linear inch, and smaller silica particles capable of passing 50 mesh per linear inch, each in the proportions of between 40% and 60% by weight, and unnaturally deficient in intermediate sized particles.

37. An unfired silica brick of volume stability and high strength, comprising a heat-treated crystalline silica of specific gravity less than 2.38 as its predominant constituent, the brick containing between 40% and 60% each of larger .particles between 3 and 30 mesh per linear inch and smaller particles below 50 mesh per linear inch, the particles being united by a bonding material effective without firing.

38. An unfired silica brick containing pregrown coalesced particles of specific gravity less than 2.38 and of porosity less than 18% and sodium silicate, comprising particles larger than 30 mesh per linear inch and particles smaller than 50 mesh per linear inch, with scarcely any particles between 30 and 50 mesh per linear inch.

39. An unred silica brick preponderantly containing pregrown coalesced particles and bonded with sodium silicate.

40. A furnace lining comprising unred shapes of crystalline silica particles, more than 50% by weight of which have a specicgravity less than 2.38 and a porosity less than 18%, the particles being bonded with sodium` silicate.

RUSSELL PEARCE HEUER.

'ist 

